The Amish of Wells Landing, Oklahoma, treasure their close-knit community, and the promise of their growing families. But one young woman is struggling to choose a future that is true to both her heart and her faith…

Everyone in Wells Landing has long expected Sadie Kauffman and Chris Flaud to marry--despite Sadie's telling them differently. While she loves Chris, it is more as a friend than a husband. Yet at twenty-two, the plainest girl in her group, Sadie is also the only one who is still single. Perhaps it's time to be practical and marry Chris--though he still has not asked. But when Sadie meets a kind, handsome Mennonite, it seems her prayers have been answered…

With Ezra Hein, Sadie at last feels the joy she nearly gave up on. Unfortunately, others only feel shock that she would consider marrying an outsider. To complicate matters, Chris has finally begun talking to Sadie about their future. Distressed, Sadie will have to search her heart to recognize God's marvelous gifts to her--and find the courage to accept them, challenges and all…

Amish Brides - Jennifer Beckstrand,Molly...

The Reluctant Groom:

Annie encouraged matches , she felt young men she be married before they made nuisances of themselves. Ester told Annie  it wasn’t her responsibility and Annie told her daughter  who else would make the matches  if she didn’t Annie’s husband Telly said “ if t wasn’t for your mamm half of Berduel would still be single”. Then Suvie came to Annie’s house and said she needed help finding a husband. Suvie said she couldn’t cook and that’s why she needed Annie’s help as every man wanted his wife to be able to cook, Suvie had three proposals but she wants to care/love the man not marry someone she cringes at when they are in the same room. Then Suvie said she had fallen in love with their great grandson Aaron Beachy.

Joshua’s Bride:

Madeline was happy whenever she was with Joshua and Joshua had just proposed and Joshua’s brother Nathaniel had fallen in love with Madeline’s sister Catherine but Catherine had left Nathaniel and the Amish without saying a word. So Joshua’s parents had not wanted Joshua to propose as they were afraid Madeline would also leave and break Joshua’s heart. But Joshua went ahead and asked the Bishop to marry them in June. The Bishop agreed after talking to Joshua for a few minutes. Then Catherine came back long enough to drop her daughter off to Madeline without even naming her as she didn’t want to be attached to the baby. Knowing Joshua’s family’s disdain would be even worse now Madeline broke the engagement even though it broke her and Joshua’s heart she now had to raise Ruthie as her father and her had named the baby after Madeline and Catherine’s mother. Mary would die an old maid who still loved Joshua.

A Summer Wedding In Paradise:

Reba was replacing the teacher as she was getting ready to marry;s Reba;s brother. Reba got up late this morning and then and to top it off her brother liked to play tricks on Reba and took the dress she put out to wear outside all night and it had rained all night. And Reba was behind on her laundry so Reba touched up a dress she had wore a couple of days earlier. Then she had to leave to walk to  the school. Then A buggy was approaching quickly and the man had no control of his horse and ran Reba off the road and she fell into a ditch now she was covered in mud and gook and had badly hurt her ankle and Reba could barely walk on it. Reba got to the school and sent her oldest niece to get a dress for her to change into. There was a stranger at the school to do some repairs especially on the roof when it rained as it leaked. Then it turned at the man at the school was the one who ran her off the road. Then it turns out Reba’s ankle was broken and she wasn’t ready to forgive the man Abel  was also do some work for her brother.

I really loved the first two stories and liked the third one a lot but it left you hanging a little on a couple of things.  But the stories were all really good . The plots were good.  I think everyone can pretty much find at the very least one of the stories to ;like a lot. These stories are well written, I loved the characters and the ins and outs of the stories and I recommend.

Rancher Jake Langston prides himself on being the sensible type. But five years after the loss of his wife left him to raise their daughter alone, he indulges in a one-night stand with a sexy stranger. He thought he’d never see the woman again. Four months later, though, she’s standing in his drive with a big surprise.
 
Bryn Talbot wants nothing from the hunky cowboy who got her pregnant, but her Southern nature demands she at least tell him about it. When Jake’s family persuades her to stay for a while, she’s soon won over by their charms—and by Jake. But with the losses the two of them have suffered in the past, neither is sure if they’re ready to take the leap to forever...

I love the cover art on this book, total cozy home holiday card feeling. If you read Loving a Lawman you have to pick Healing a Heart up, I had a hard time with the way Loving a Lawman ended but reading this book I think I love Loving a Lawman so much more.

Lillard gives readers a reason to hold onto hope that Jake and Bryn can get over their head butting to opening up the blanket of frustration and mule headed stubbornness to finding something more honest, deeper and real.

It took awhile for these two to really capture me until now because there was so much tension and clashing that it was almost off putting however the investment was well worth the time both Lillard and myself as the reader have put into them.

Although Loving a Lawman was Jess and Seth's story we know these two from that book and have been waiting to see what would happen with these two since.

This is a complex dual layer emotional turmoil love but totally worth it in the end. I really enjoyed Healing a Heart. Way to go Lillard.

Amy Lillard

This title will be available for purchase on February 7, 2017!

 

 

 

 

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Sheriff Seth Langston is head over heels for local wild child Jessie McAllen and has been for years. The trouble is she has eyes only for Seth’s rodeo star brother, Chase. Even though he considers Jessie his girl, Chase is an incorrigible ladies’ man with a wandering eye and no chance of settling down soon.
 
Jessie is ready to move away from Cattle Creek to put her feelings for Chase behind her, but after she shares a white-hot kiss with Seth, things get a little complicated. Jessie realizes her heart should have been his all along. And in the face of sudden tragedy, they’ll discover if their newfound passion will tear the Langston men apart or make the family stronger than ever.

My Review:

Loving a Lawman is a romance I've read many times before in other books. Guy likes girl, girl marries sibling, infatuation continues but surprise, feelings are mutual.

There are a couple twists to the story and while I liked Seth more than I cared for the other characters Jessie eventually won me over a little bit.

I enjoyed the slow development of Loving a Lawman but I wish the development of the end relationship had been a little different. Despite that I really enjoyed reading this book. It was sweet, it was open hearted and well written.

My Rating:

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Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

Source:
Received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley Publishing

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If any of Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! Thank you!

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Come along on a romantic journey jam-packed with all the angst of marriages founded upon practical choices as well as coercion. Meet nine couples who barely know each other before they find themselves suddenly married to please family, to stem the tide of gossip, to save the land and joined for life. But can love grow when duty comes before romance? 

All's Fair by Gina Welborn

September, 1904 / Wathena, Kansas

No two people are more ill-suited than Miss Coral Davies and Dr. Jack Kent. Jack loves tradition and stability. Coral loves change. To top it all off, their orchard-owning families have hated one another for decades. When a mudslinging in the middle of town lands them—and a dozen family members—in jail amid the apple harvest, Coral and Jack have a choice. Marry and free everyone. Or all of them spend the next ninety days in jail for causing a public disturbance. Can Coral and Jack overlook the odd (and humorous to everyone else in town not named Davies or Kent) beginning of their marriage to see God’s blessing in disguise?

The Substitute Bride by Angela Bell  

London, England, June 1865.

After seven seasons in London society, spinster Gwendolyn—Gwen Brandbury, remains unmarried. However her parents form a scheme to get her married to Lord Elliott Carlyle—a deception really. Lord Carlyle does not discover the deception until after the wedding when he lifts the bridal veil to kiss his bride and discovers Gwen instead of Cynthia, her sister. Furious, he takes his substitute bride to his country home, Briarcliff Park.

Bridal Whispers by Angie Breidenbach 

Saint Paul, MN March 1900.

After being away for nine years, nurse Maila Holmes is headed home to Fergus Falls after receiving notice of the flu epidemic at home and her family very ill with the flu. Many have died during the flu epidemic, including her cousin Rose. Store owner Burton Rutherford—Rose's husband—meets Maila at the train depot and takes her to his store in town. They will travel to her family's homestead in the morning when it is safer to travel. Weeks later, due to some gossip, Maila and Burton find themselves in a potential scandalous situation and must marry. Can Burton get over the loss of his beloved Rose and learn to love his bride Maila? Will Maila forever struggle with feelings of being unwanted and unloved, even by her family, chasing after allusive dreams that may or may not make her feel loveable?

Mule Dazed by Lisa Carter 

Hitching Post, Montana Territory 1885

Sheriff Braxton—Brax Cashel is about to arrest the cowboy—no bigger than a little feller who was responsible for setting the mules loose from the corral. When the little feller turned around Brax got a shock, as did the little feller—“crazy hair?” The little feller was no little feller but was in fact Harriet—Hattie Brimfield—or crazy hair as he nicknamed her because of her wild, untamed hair—from the Bronco B ranch, who always got into trouble when they were kids in Wyoming Territory. Hattie couldn't believe young Brax grew into such a handsome man...a handsome man who was arresting her. Well, nothing's changed, she was still getting into trouble—again and Brax was there to get her out of it—again....well not this time. She finds herself locked in the local jail. Due to a situation at the jail, Hattie's five brothers demand Hattie and Brax marry immediately.

The Sweetwater Bride by Mary Conneally 

Montana July 1897

Rancher Tanner Harden is proud of his property in the Rockies and hopes to prosper there. Due to the drought his streams have dried up, so he goes out in search for much needed water for his cattle herd and hears a scream followed by gunfire and another scream—a woman's scream. But there is no woman up here. No trail in sight, only solid rock reaching over fifty feet and no way up it. His horse finds a trail and up he goes on a barely visible trail. He goes through a crack in the stone and a beautiful green mountain valley opens up before him. Amazed, he travels on and finds buildings and a lone woman—looking as wild as the land—standing in front of one of the buildings. Debba McClain was shocked to see someone coming into her valley—she doesn't go out of her valley so doesn't know anyone.

Highbrow Hoodwink by Rebecca Jepson

Aspen, Colorado 1883

21 year old Katie Dupont works as a serving girl at the very busy local hotel's dinning room. This day was no different, however there was a mysterious, wealthy-looking man sitting in the shadows watching her. He looked so familiar, but she couldn't place him. What he told her was a shock and put fear into her heart—her past lead him here. No way was she going to agree with what he proposes—his planned deception. What can she do?

Not So Pretty Penny by Amy Lillard

Cooper, Kansas 1867

After much prayer, Penelope—Penny Pinehurst knows what she must do...she marches into the Sheriff's office and informs Sheriff Riley, “I am in need of a husband—today”. To, in fact, buy a husband from one of his prisoners set to for the gallows to help bring in a crop on her farm. Of the three prisoners, she chose George Washington—Wash Brannock for her husband. Wash was now married, free from jail. He planned to go ofter the person who framed him once he fulfilled his part of the bargain—plant and bring in the crops for Penny. However, he didn't plan on his heart falling for Penny. Penny's neighbor, who insisted that they marry...as he wanted her land...was shocked when he learned of her marriage. Then a man shows up on the farm which brings an unexpected situation and Wash has to decide if he will follow up on his plan or to forgive.

The Colorado Coincidence by Kathleen Y'Barbo

San Francisco 1878

Illegitimate son of the Duke of Crenwright, Mack McCoy, packed his bags in preparation to leave the city he has come to love and head to Denver. His half-brother, Colin, wants him to never return to England and threatens to harm someone Mack loves dearly if he does.

Callyville, Colorado, Gloree Lowe has buried her husband and her babies and still grieves for them. Her husband told her to marry again if something happened to him and even wrote to his cousin to come and marry her. She is about to loose her cabin and properly if she doesn't pay the bank what she owes soon. Three unsavory characters want her properly and are willing to get it one way or another and only gives her a couple days to leave. A stranger—Mack—shows up just in time and they leave. Of course Gloree thinks Mack is the man her husband said would come. But the men come back and after a shoot out, they are dead. Mack and Gloree take the men into town to the sheriff, things get even more confusing as he too thinks Mack is the man Gloree's husband sent for. Before he knows it, Mack and Gloree are married. But Gloree's troubles are not over yet. It seems others in town want her ranch too.

Railroaded into Love by Rose Ross Zediker

Montana 1895.

Noah Manning is now a missionary preacher on the railroad chapel, Emmanuel where he also lives. He is excited to start his new—single—life as a traveling preacher. But he didn't expect his brother, Seth, to show up with a young woman in hand-cuffs, wanting her to stay on the train with Noah.

Molly Callahan's brother, Cass, had dumped her at the saloon to live and work after their parents died in the influenza outbreak five years ago and left town. Seth says that Cass is a cattle rustler and is hoping having Molly along at the trains next scheduled stop will bring Cass out of hiding so he could arrest him. Noah's supervisor will allow Molly to stay with Noah if they are married and performs the wedding.

Review

I love Westerns and I adore the Marriage of Connivence theme so this collection was a big hit with me as all the writers are talented and love stories engaging. 

Each story is like a course of a meal. You can read a little bit at a time when you have time and have the best time. 

This collection does fall into the Inspirational sub genre but because of the historical setting the weaving of the religious into the plot fits well. 

I love the  Mary Conneally piece the best because of the mixture of utter competence and aloneness in the heroine. The hero just doesn't know what to do with her and the animals are awesome. So good. 

Amy Lillard supplies another of my favorite tropes in saving a man from the noose and a plain Jane.  Much tender fun here. 

Rebecca Jepson's take unwed mother trying to do the best for her child is not to be missed. 

These are my very favorites but they are all wonderful. 

I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it.